1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic data transmission and reception system, and more particularly to an electronic data transmission and reception system for confirming whether electronic data transmitted from a transmitting apparatus have been received by a receiving apparatus or not.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known systems for transmitting electronic data or electronic texts (e.g., see patent documents 1, 2, 3, 4 below).
In a system wherein a transmitting apparatus transmits electronic data via a relay device to a receiving apparatus, when the transmitting apparatus transmits electronic data to the receiving apparatus, a sender who uses the transmitting apparatus is required to communicate with the relay device from the transmitting apparatus and collect a log from the relay device in order to confirm whether the electronic data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus have been received by the receiving apparatus or not. There has been desired in the art a system for guaranteeing electronic data transmitted from a transmitting apparatus until they are received by a receiving apparatus.    Patent document 1:            Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2000-78235;            Patent document 2:            Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2000-183866;            Patent document 3:            Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-7288; and            Patent document 4:            Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-183491.        